Daughter and father’s first hug since Christmas

WHEN 72-year old Roger Phillips began his car journey from Liverpool to London on Friday afternoon, he felt strangely nervous. It was one of the first times that the presenter for BBC Radio Merseyside had left the house – other than to walk his dog and go to the supermarket – since the start of lockdown.

That evening, after nearly six hours of driving, he was reunited with his daughter Ellie, 33, for the first time since Christmas. The pair, who say they’re more like “best mates”, have spoken on FaceTime almost every day. But nothing could beat the feeling of a real-life hug. “It was a wonderful moment after not seeing Ellie for six months,” he said. “My wife would have liked to have been here, too, but she stayed at home to look after the dog.”

Roger has been isolating with his wife, Margaret Rosenfield, 67, at home in Liverpool while Ellie has spent lockdown in Greenwich with her boyfriend. For Ellie, the first hug was an extra special moment; she has had “no human contact” with anyone apart from her boyfriend. “Seeing my dad first was my priority, so I didn’t want to put him at risk by meeting up with friends before,” she said.

There’s another joyous reunion on the horizon. Roger’s older daughter Alex Phillips has been stuck in France with her two-year-old son, but next week the family are returning.